Commands of Christ-12g
Commands of Christ • Sermon • Submitted
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Ice Breaker
What do you think most people mean by the phrase “world peace”?
No more war?
Free trade with everyone acting for the good of others?
Do you believe world peace is achievable? Why or why not?
Not through human effort.
Only when Jesus rules from Jerusalem:
4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
1 And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, And the peoples will stream to it. 2 Many nations will come and say, “Come and let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord And to the house of the God of Jacob, So that He may teach us about His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion will go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3 And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift a sword against nation, And never again will they train for war. 4 Instead, each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, Because the mouth of the Lord of armies has spoken.
1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make decisions by what His ears hear; 4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the humble of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. 5 Also righteousness will be the belt around His hips, And faithfulness the belt around His waist. 6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fattened steer will be together; And a little boy will lead them. 7 Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea. 10 Then on that day The nations will resort to the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signal flag for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious.
19 “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying. 20 “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives only a few days, Or an old person who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of a hundred, And the one who does not reach the age of a hundred Will be thought accursed. 21 “They will build houses and inhabit them; They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 “They will not build and another inhabit, They will not plant and another eat; For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, And My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands. 23 “They will not labor in vain, Or give birth to children for disaster; For they are the descendants of those blessed by the Lord, And their descendants with them. 24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will listen. 25 The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm on all My holy mountain,” says the Lord.
So “world peace” will look different than many proponents would think.
In the meantime we see for peace.
But for what are we seeking?
Respond to the following statement: Peace is not the absence of conflict.
Peace is not the absence of conflict by Jay Younts
We live in a world looking for peace. Whether it is in the play room or at the negotiating table peace is often defined as the absence of conflict. So, terms are sought to minimize or eliminate conflict. But this is a futile pursuit. A mom knows that discord and self-service rules young hearts. The sad reality is that diplomats attempting to negotiate peace treaties ignore this most basic truth. People are born at war with God and with each other (Ephesians 2:1-3).
Thus, the goal for achieving peace cannot be the absence of conflict. Rather, for Christians, our goal must be to know Christ in the middle of the conflict. The Bible teaches that we are to return good for evil. Instead of eliminating conflict, the Christian overcomes conflict with the powerful force of good. This means I don’t have to control the other person to find peace. I must choose to honor God and respond to evil / conflict in obedience to God. That way, even if the other person continues to do what is wrong you can pursue Christ and find his peace regardless of what that person may or may not do.
Main Point: When we take seriously God’s ministry of reconciliation and peacemaking, God will acknowledge us as HIS children who model His character and purpose.
Introduction:
As we continue our study of Matthew 5 and the Beatitudes, we find that those who are peacemakers are blessed in that they will be called sons of God. A careful study of Jesus’ life, however, reveals that being a peacemaker does not mean that we do not confront wrong thinking and misguided behavior. (It probably DOES mean that we confront such things in a DIFFERENT WAY.)
While culture may tell us that being a peacemaker means “to live and let live” in the sense that you must accept any way of life as good and right, this is not what Jesus means.
So, before we go into our study what has been your understanding of what it means to be the kind of peacemaker God blesses as being HIS children? (White Board!)
Dig:
Read Matthew 5:3-12 (esp. vs. 9).
Beatitudes
3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. 4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. 5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. 6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. 7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for. 8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. 9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. 10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. 11 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. 12 You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Can you be a peacemaker and be in conflict? What does that tell you about Jesus’ words here?
Is there such a thing as agreeing to disagree and everyone live in peace?
We can’t answer that question until we understand what Jesus meant when He said “peacemaker.”
Complete Biblical Library: (Dictionary) This is only place used: Jesus described the “peacemakers” in the Beatitudes. There is probably a connection between Jesus’ act of “making peace” on the cross (Colossians 1:20) and those who become sons of God by imitating Jesus and taking up that cross (Matthew 5:9).
19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Fire Bible: The peacemakers. The “peacemakers” are those who have been reconciled to God (i.e., restored to a right relationship with him). Peace with God is available to anyone who accepts the sacrifice Jesus made for their sins by his death on the cross (Ro 5:1; Eph 2:14-16; see article on The peace of God). Those who truly have peace with God will make every effort to show that peace to others—including their enemies—and to bring others into a relationship of peace with God.
The UBS Handbook on Matthew is used to help translate into other languages:
A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 5:9)
Who are the peacemakers spoken of in this verse? Are they people who make peace between man and God or between man and man? Either interpretation is possible, but both the nonbiblical Jewish literature and the biblical writings themselves support the idea that the peace spoken of is that which is established among people. (See especially Heb 12:14; Eph 2:15; James 3:18.) Barclay translates “those who make men friends with each other.” Some other ways to speak of peacemakers are “those who cause people to be friends,” “those who help people to live in peace,” “those who make peace between people,” or “those who work to stop people from being enemies.”
The POSM Commentary says:
Peacemakers (eirenopoios PWS: 2873): to bring men together; to make peace between men and God; to solve disputes and erase divisions; to reconcile differences and eliminate strife; to silence tongues and build right relationships.
1. Who is the peacemaker?
a. The person who strives to make peace with God (Romans 5:1; Ephes. 2:14-17). He conquers the inner struggle, settles the inner tension, handles the inner pressure. He takes the struggle within his heart between good and evil, and strives for the good and conquers the bad.
b. The person who strives at every opportunity to make peace within others. He seeks and leads others to make their peace with God—to conquer their inner struggle, to settle their inner tension, to handle their inner pressure.
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" (Romans 14:19).
c. The person who strives at every opportunity to make peace between others. He works to solve disputes and erase divisions, to reconcile differences and eliminate strife, to silence tongues and build relationships.
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves" (Phil. 2:3).
"Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers" (2 Tim. 2:14).
"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient" (2 Tim. 2:24).
These scriptures apply to those who are in Christ:
To such apply the scriptures about Being at Peace, Being reconciled and being united with others.
I like what Michael Phillips says in The Commands: If love is the first command then this (being at Peace, etc.) represents one of the most important dimensions of love itself. Indeed, unity with our fellow man is one of love’s significant visible expressions. … Unity is the basis evangelism.
2. The peacemaker is the person who has made peace with God (Romans 5:1), and knows the peace of God (see note—• John 14:27).
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
3. Peacemakers love peace, but they do not passively accept trouble.
There are those who claim to love peace, yet they remove themselves from all trouble.
They ignore and flee problems and threatening situations, and they often evade issues.
They make no attempt to bring peace between others.
The peacemaker (of whom Christ speaks) faces the trouble no matter how dangerous, and works to bring a true peace no matter the struggle.
Treasures from the Sermon on the Mount, Volume 1 I. The Peacemaker Identified
The peacemaker gets involved to bring peace. If a child is doing something destructive, the parent confronts the child to bring about an end to the destructive behavior. If a marriage is on the verge of implosion, then the peacemaker confronts the problem to resolve it and foster love and peace in the marriage. If there are problems or sinful behavior in the church, the peacemaker deals with it so sin does not fester in the church family.
The peace that the Scriptures refer to that bring blessing, does not come from avoiding problems or matters that demand attention, it comes from facing them, dealing with them, and solving them. What this beatitude demands is not the passive acceptance of uncomfortable or bad things because we are afraid of the trouble of doing anything about them, but the active confrontation of things, and the making of peace, even when the way to peace is through difficulty, risk, and struggles. The peacemaker wages peace, which may sometimes bring trouble, to bring about eventual peace. Peace is the ultimate and eventual goal.
4. The world has its troublemakers.
Practically every organization has its troublemakers, including the church.
Wherever the troublemaker is, there is criticism, grumbling, and murmuring; and, too often, a division within the body—a division that is sometimes minor, sometimes major; sometimes just distasteful, sometimes outright bitter.
The peacemaker cannot stand such.
He goes forth to settle the matter, solve the problem, handle the differences, and reconcile the parties.
5. The gospel of Christ is to be spread by peaceful means, not by forceful means.
There are many kinds of force.
a. There is verbal force through loudness, a dominating conversation, improper sales tactics, threats, bigotry, and abuse.
b. There is physical force through facial expressions, body motions, an overpowering presence, and attacks.
From what you know about Jesus’ life, in what ways was He a peacemaker? In what ways did He stir things up? For what purpose did He say and do those things—for the sake of argument or for some greater purpose? Explain.
How is being a peacemaker different from settling for "peace at any price"?
What do the characteristics in Matthew 5:7-9 (merciful, pure in heart, peacemaker) have in common? How does the context of the entire list of Beatitudes help you better understand what this verse means?
Jesus’ emphasis in verse 9 is on helping others to come to spiritual peace with God.
By extension, He included helping individuals or nations be at peace with each other.
What reward did Jesus promise those making peace? Why?
They will be called sons of God.
Oh, look! Another instance where WE are called God’s sons and daughters — but only Jesus is the Beloved Son of God.
In other words, believers are like Jesus Himself when they seek to bring others to peace with their Father, and one day He will openly acknowledge such persons as His sons and daughters.
Like Jesus Himself.
One day?
Why?
Would you say our outward relationships reflect our inner attitudes and our heart? How so?
When might pursuing God’s peace cause trouble in the world? Why?
Why do you think this particular blessing ends with the promise, “They will be called sons of God”?
The ministry of peacemaking involves resolving conflict by making prompt apologies and acts of restitution, refusing to seek revenge, and humbly serving and loving one’s enemies.
The promise that peacemakers will be called sons of God probably means that Jesus’ authentic disciples emulate God by undertaking the ministry of reconciliation. Thus at the final judgment they shall be accepted as the sons (and daughters) of God.
Read Romans 12:9-21
9 Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
How does this passage help you understand the application of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:9?
Considering verse 18 in context of the passage, what is your God-given responsibility in relationships?
From this passage, what are some specific things peacemakers do or do not do?
Thinking in terms of God’s kingdom, what do you think is the point of exhibiting these peacemaker behaviors in relationships?
We are to love others and pursue peace—inside and outside the church family—no matter what has happened. Paul’s teaching is challenging, but it is God’s Word that Christians of all times and cultures need to obey. God loved us when we were His enemies and made us into His friends (Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:21). Believers are like their heavenly Father when they act the same way (Matt. 5:44-45). When we do, we are spiritual peacemakers and sons of God, demonstrating the priority of God’s righteousness over our own rightness.
Application
Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives.
Are there some relationships where making peace is a genuine struggle for you? Why?
Is the promise of God acknowledging the way you carry out His ministry of reconciliation worth whatever it is you have to give up to bring peace in those situations? Why?
How are we doing as a group at being peacemakers? How can we do better?
Pray
Thank God for bringing peace into your life so that you now have freedom to extend peace to other people. Ask Him to reveal how we, as a community of believers, can be better peacemakers in relationship to each other, even when conflicts arise.
Commentary
| Matthew 5:9
5:9. Peace is, first and foundationally, internal and spiritual. It is not primarily physical, military, or political. Peace for the nations flows from peace in the hearts of individuals. Peacemakers are not power brokers but people lovers. The ministry of peacemaking involves resolving conflict by making prompt apologies and acts of restitution, refusing to seek revenge, and humbly serving and loving one’s enemies (5:21-26,38-41,43-48). The promise that peacemakers... will be called sons of God probably means that Jesus’ authentic disciples emulate God by undertaking the ministry of reconciliation. Thus at the final judgment they shall be accepted as the sons (and daughters) of God. The promised kingdom is characterized by peace, as described in Isaiah 9:6-7; 66:12-13; Micah 4:3.
| Romans 12:9-21
12:9-16 Transformed thinking (1-2) is explained in a series of short exhortations. Paul has expounded divine love in this letter; now he shifts to the disciple’s “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). Christians are one family, and they should honor one another and display genuine affection. They should be fervent in spirit or let the Spirit kindle and motivate their service. They should also rejoice in the hope of Jesus’ return; share what they have, and share the joys and sorrows of the church family. Keep praying—in the afflictions and persecutions of life, members of the body are to support one another. Pride is a great sin and humility is a great virtue. One shouldn’t think too much of oneself. “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1Pe 5:5).
12:17-21 Christians often suffer hatred and persecution from society (1Pe 1:6; 2:11-12; 3:14-17; 4:12-16; 5:9). The normal response is to retaliate, but Christians are called to serve and minister God’s grace to a lost and hostile world. Jesus is our model. As much as possible, we are to live at peace with everyone. God is the sovereign who can convert even a Saul who persecuted the church. God is the judge and the administrator of wrath. Our role is to display God’s grace and love in our lives. God in Jesus conquered evil on the cross. We are not to let evil conquer us.
LifeWay Christian Resources. (2019). I Am Blessed: Blessed Are the Peacemakers (pp. 1–4). LifeWay Christian Resources.
3. Why is it fitting that "the peacemakers" will be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9)?
4. How can we be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) in our homes, in our churches and in society?
What being a “peacemaker” does not mean:
1. Jesus does not say “blessed are those who are at peace,” as if he has in mind some subjective, inner calm in one’s spirit.
2. He does not say “blessed are the peaceable” or “peaceful” as if to pronounce blessed the person who is inoffensive, cowardly, or those who never engage in quarrels.
3. Still less does he mean blessed are the “peace-lovers”, although loving peace is surely a prerequisite for making peace.
4. Neither should we think of peace-making in terms of “appeasement,” as if to say that a compromising spirit is sufficient to evoke God’s blessing. Some people are peaceful simply because they lack the courage of their convictions and quickly strike a bargain when they come under pressure.
5. Nor should we take Jesus to mean what many have in mind when they say “peace is priceless.” By this they mean that no price is too high to pay for peace, no cost too exorbitant. But Jesus is not pronouncing blessed that person who places peace at the top of his list of spiritual priorities. We must never buy peace at the cost of either purity or truth. Sometimes peace simply isn’t possible. Paul writes in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” The words “if possible” indicate that sometimes peace isn’t possible. The impossibility Paul has in mind, however, isn’t due to our inability to restrain our anger or resentment. He is referring to hindrances that are extrinsic to us, over which we have no control: (a) the spirit and temperament of others; in spite of our efforts to reconcile and maintain harmony, they refuse; (b) when peace and truth conflict; (c) when peace and purity conflict.
So what, then, is a “peacemaker”? The peacemaker seeks to do two things:
1. He/she seeks to extinguish the flames of strife and disharmony in the body of Christ.
2. He/she takes whatever steps necessary to see that no fire breaks out in the first place. The peacemaker isn’t satisfied with the status quo. He anticipates those circumstances in which discord may flourish and avoids them. He anticipates those subjects which will divide the brethren and refuses to let people dwell on or discuss them. He is wise enough to know not simply when to pour water on a fire but when to act in order to prevent a fire from breaking out in the first place.
How does one become a peacemaker? A peacemaker must be oblivious to himself, to his own needs. See Phil. 2:1–5. He must be utterly obsessed with Jesus. He must be the sort of person who is not always looking at everything in terms of the effect it has upon himself. He is not always asking: “How does this affect me? What will people think of me? Have my rights been trampled? Am I being treated fairly?”
Note the promise: “For they shall be called the sons of God.” If this is true, then surely the converse holds: “Cursed are the peace breakers, for they shall be called sons of Satan!” See Rom. 16:17–18; Prov. 6:19 (“There are six things which the Lord hates, yea seven which are an abomination … the person who spreads strife among brothers”). See James 3:15. As someone once said, “It is Satan who kindles the flames of contention in men’s hearts, and then stands and warms himself at the fire.”
Unfortunately, our efforts to make and maintain peace are not always successful. In fact, instead of peace there often comes war. Instead of being appreciated for our efforts, we are persecuted for them. Hence, the last beatitude …
Storms, S. (2016). Biblical Studies: The Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:9). Edmond, OK: Sam Storms.
6. In spite of our efforts at peacemaking, what does Jesus say we will experience (Matthew 5:10-12)?
Why should this cause us to rejoice?
7. "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness..." is the only Beatitude that receives further comment. How does 5:11-12 expand on it?
Why do you think this Beatitude alone was singled out for expanded treatment?
8. Why would the world hate the kind of people described in the beatitudes?
9. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was killed by the Nazis because of his faith, wrote: "With every beatitude the gulf is widened between the disciples and the people." How have the beatitudes challenged you to be different?
Adapted from: LifeGuide Topical Bible Studies - Sermon on the Mount.